Other than JD, all of the hunters were in the games room, including Natalie. Sarah noticed how close she was sitting to Craig and had to suppress a smile. JD had already called her to say he would be working late and their training session had to be cancelled, so Sarah decided to join the others.
She hadn’t been in the room long when Craig’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, grimaced, then left the room. A short while later he returned.
His voice was breaking as he said, “Sarah, I need you.”
She didn’t ask why. She just took his hand and led him from the room. They went to his bedroom and, once inside, he took her in his arms, buried his face in her neck and began to sob.
There was no sign of Sarah when JD got home, so he went to the games room to ask the others where she was.
“I presume she’s with Craig,” Scott said. “We don’t know what’s going on, but he got a phone call and came back really upset.”
JD didn’t go and find out. Sarah would tell him when the time was right. Instead he went to his office and worked.
Neither Sarah nor Craig showed up for dinner. This had JD worried enough to go looking for them after the meal was over. He knocked on Craig’s door and Sarah called out, “Go away.”
The door wasn’t locked, so he went in anyway. Craig was curled up on the bed, with Sarah beside him, cuddling him. She raised her head as JD entered, but didn’t move away from Craig.
Craig looked terrible. To say he seemed miserable was an understatement. He was empty, defeated. Something really bad had happened. The last time JD had seen him looking like that was when Alex died. He didn’t even look up to see who had walked in.
“Sarah, go and eat. They’re keeping food warm for you,” JD said. She started to protest, but he cut her off. “Now.”
She knew better than to argue. “I will look after him until you’re back,” he added as she slid off the bed. She gave him a quick kiss then left the room.
JD sat down on the floor, his back resting against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him. “What do I need to know?”
He would not force Craig to tell him, but he wouldn’t have to. He remained silent until Craig spoke. “Kirren killed himself this morning.”
“Oh God. I am so so sorry.” JD cast his mind back to the last time he had seen Craig’s younger brother. It had been a long time ago, not long after he returned from his year away. Kirren had trained with them all for a while, under JD’s father, but had given up, rejecting the life of a hunter. Kirren’s parents hadn’t taken his decision very well and more or less shunned him from then on. He left home as soon as he turned sixteen and went to live with friends.
“What can I do to help?” Craig just shook his head.
“Not many people know this,” Craig said, “but Kirren was gay. He finally plucked up the courage to tell our parents and do you know what their reaction was? My mother slapped him and my father told him that he was even less of a man than he had originally thought. They actually sounded proud of their actions when they phoned me with the news. What sort of people would do that to their own son?”
JD had no answer. “Want to talk about it?” he asked. He wouldn’t put any pressure on him. Craig would talk to Sarah and JD would stay out of it if that was what Craig preferred.
“I tried to get him to move in here not long after we all transferred. Doc had no problem with it, even though he wasn’t a hunter, but he refused. He rejected this entire life and wanted nothing to do with it. We kept in touch though. I even introduced him to Sarah and Alex.”
“It sounds like you did all you could for him,” JD said.
“It wasn’t enough though was it?” Craig said bitterly.
“He could have contacted you at any time if he needed to and you would have dropped everything to help him. He knew that.”
Craig just grunted and it was then that JD realised exactly why he was so upset. “You blame yourself for not stopping him. You saved Sarah so you believe you should have been able to save him.”
Craig nodded. “The situation is completely different,” JD continued. “You knew Sarah needed help. If Kirren had come to you, you would have been there for him. This is not your fault.”
“I keep telling myself that. Maybe eventually I’ll start listening.”
JD stood up, sat on the bed and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t do this to yourself. You don’t deserve it.”
Craig did not respond. JD changed topic. “The others need to be told. Do you want me to do it for you?”
Again Craig nodded his head. “Tell them what has happened, but not why.”
“Of course. Now can I get you anything?”
Craig shook his head. JD heard the door opening and Sarah walked in. “That was quick,” he said. “Are you sure you ate anything?”
“Don’t play the trainer role now, Jason, please.”
“I’m not. I’m playing the concerned boyfriend role.”
“In that case, yes I did and I appreciate your concern, but can you please go away now.”
He stood up, kissed her on the forehead and left. He went to his own room, hunted through Sarah’s set of drawers until he found her pyjamas, which she very rarely wore any more, grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste from their bathroom and returned to Craig’s door.
He knocked then entered without waiting for a reply. Sarah was on the bed, cuddling Craig once more. She looked up in surprise when he walked in. She was even more surprised when he handed her things to her.
“I presume you’re staying here tonight.” ‘Thank you,’ she mouthed as she nodded. “In that case I’ll see you in the morning.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Neither of you need to come to the 5am training session.”
He then left them alone and went in search of the others. “Family meeting,” he said as he walked into the games room. Nobody asked why. Natalie and Christina were also in the room and Christina started to stand. “You are not family,” he said coldly. He then softened his tone. “Sorry Natalie, but you cannot attend this either. This is hunter business.” She nodded her understanding while her sister glared at JD. “Scott, go and grab your parents,” he said and the young man raced from the room.
Everyone met in the dining room and JD told them the news. “I need you all to give Craig some space for a while. He will work out what he wants to do and will let us know if there’s anything we can do to help. Sarah is staying with him tonight.”
He glanced at Jonathon, waiting for him to make a sarcastic comment, but his brother looked genuinely upset. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk about this with anyone,” JD continued. “It’s nobody else’s business. Craig will decide who else needs to know.”
“How is he?” Simon asked.
“Not good, but Sarah will take care of him for as long as he needs her to.”
“Let me know if you want me to give him anything,” Doc said. “I don’t usually like knocking people out, but under the circumstances, I am prepared to this time.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think that’s necessary. I’ll get Sarah to let you know if that changes.”
“Can I ask a favour?” Katie said as a tear rolled down her face. They all remembered Kirren and were saddened by his death. “Are you free for a training session tonight? I don’t think any of us are going to be able to sleep any time soon and the exercise may help us get rid of some of the sadness and anger we’re feeling.”
JD was more than happy to oblige. All of them turned up and he worked them so hard that they all fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow, for which they were grateful.
Nobody commented the next morning when Craig and Sarah did not turn up for the 5 o’clock session. They all wondered how he was, but none of them were prepared to find out. JD had told them to leave him alone and they would not disobey him.
Christina was making her way down to breakfast a few hours later when Craig’s bedroom door opened. She spied Sarah and ducked
into an empty room, leaving the door open a little so she could eavesdrop.
Sarah, still dressed in her pyjamas, hugged Craig tight. “Are you sure you want to do this on your own?”
Craig nodded. “I have to.”
“Alright.” She kissed his cheek. “Phone me if you need me.”
She squeezed his hand then made her way to the room she and JD were sharing, where she quickly showered and got dressed.
She found JD in his office. “You look like crap,” he said as she walked in. “I take it neither of you got much sleep.”
She shook her head. “It was very late before he was able to get to sleep and when he eventually did drop off, he kept having horrible dreams. He cried out so loudly a few times I’m surprised he didn’t wake everyone.”
JD opened his arms and Sarah climbed onto his lap. “What are his plans?” he asked as he pulled her tightly against him.
“He’s going to see his parents.”
“Are you going with him?”
“No, he wants to do this alone.”
JD didn’t think that was a good idea, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Sarah would already have tried to change his mind and if she hadn’t managed it, nobody else could. This situation was outside the boundaries of his role as Craig’s trainer so he couldn’t order him to take someone with him.
“Hungry?” he asked, knowing that she hadn’t eaten much the night before.
“Not really.”
“Then come with me.” He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, where he pulled back the covers and ordered her to get in. “You need sleep.” He lay down on top of the covers and pulled her close to him.
Sarah closed her eyes and snuggled down. It didn’t take long for sleep to claim her and JD didn’t move until he was sure he wouldn’t wake her.
Christina was in his office when he went back to it. “I thought I told you to stay out of here,” he said in an emotionless voice.
She ignored him. “Do you know where your girlfriend spent last night?”
“Of course I do, not that it’s any of your business.”
“She didn’t look like she got much sleep. Makes you wonder what she and Craig were up to all night, doesn’t it?”
“No, it doesn’t. Now stop being a trouble-making little bitch and get out of my office.” He kept his anger under control. He wasn’t going to let her affect him, especially when that was what she wanted.
“One of these days you are going to see her for the two-timing little slut that she really is.” That was going too far. JD launched himself at her, grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall.
“If you ever say anything like that ever again,” he hissed in her ear, “I am going to break your neck.”
He released her and she slumped to the ground. He walked out of his office and went to find Jonathon. He found him in his room.
“Are you doing anything this morning?”
“Nothing that can’t be postponed,” Jonathon replied. “What’s up?”
“If I don’t find a way to release my anger at Christina I’m going to tear her to pieces.”
“Silvia will get upset if you make a mess in the Sanctuary.” Then Jonathon realised what JD had said. “Wait a minute. You want to take it out on me instead?”
“Isn’t that what brothers are for?”
“Hell no. Where’s Sarah?”
“Sleeping.”
“Damn.” He thought for a moment, then said, “Let me see if I can rope the others in. If all four of us go against you we may survive without any broken bones.”
JD went to get changed into his training gear while Jonathon hunted out Scott, Simon and Katie. Thankfully they all agreed to help.
JD was aggressive, but held back; he didn’t want to hurt anyone. The four of them held their own, but not easily. They managed to get some blows past his defences and an hour later he walked out of the arena with a few bruises and a lot of aching muscles. He had calmed down though and he thanked them for their time.
Sarah was still asleep, so he quickly showered then climbed into the bed with her. She woke enough to roll closer to him then went back to sleep. He closed his eyes and willed his body to relax. He wasn’t expecting to sleep, but the warmth of Sarah’s body against his made him drowsy and he nodded off.
It was nearly midday by the time they both woke. They got dressed, prepared a small picnic, then JD drove into the mountains. They spent the afternoon hiking. JD told Sarah what had happened with Christina, but she was too worried about Craig to let it upset her.
They had just got back to the car when Sarah’s phone rang. “How are you?” she asked as soon as she answered.
“Not good,” a very distressed Craig replied. “The bastards aren’t even going to give him a funeral. They’re arranging for Sanctuary 1 to collect Kirren’s body and dispose of it. They said he wasn’t even a man, let alone a hunter, and he does not deserve anything better.”
Sarah could hear the tears in his voice. “I’ll hand you over to Jason. You need him right now, not me.”
Without explanation, she passed her phone to JD. He didn’t need to ask who it was. “What do you need me to do?”
Craig repeated what he had told Sarah and JD felt his anger returning. “I don’t give a shit that he wasn’t a hunter. He’s not entitled to full honours, but he still deserves a proper burial. Leave it with me. I’ll make a few calls. Come home.”
It was an order JD did not need to make. Craig had no intention of staying with his parents a minute longer than he had to.
JD immediately rang the leader of Sanctuary 1 and explained the situation. “I want you to collect Kirren’s body as requested, but get hold of a coffin. Please keep him somewhere safe and dignified until I let you know the date and time for the funeral.”
“No problem JD,” the voice on the other end of the line said. “We felt uncomfortable about what we were being asked to do, but didn’t know how to get out if it.”
Next JD phoned Doc, who promised to get hold of the priest and make all of the necessary arrangements, then he would call Sanctuary 1 to provide the details.
“You know you’re not allowed to do this, don’t you? A next-of-kin’s wishes can only be overridden by the leader or trainer of the Sanctuary where the person is registered, even if that person is no longer an active member. And, unfortunately, Kirren’s parents are his next-of-kin, not Craig.”
“I know. That’s why my next call is going to be to my father.”
He dialled the number and waited impatiently for his call to be answered.
“JD. This is a pleasant surprise. How are you? Other than still using your students as blood banks, of course.” JD heard the laughter in his father’s voice. It had taken him a long time to accept what had happened to his son and it was a good sign that he was now able to joke about it.
JD skipped the pleasantries. “Dad, I need a favour. I need you to reassign Kirren Blakley to me.” He filled him in on what had happened and what was being arranged.
When JD had finished speaking, his father simply said, “No.”
“What?”
“I said no. I will not reassign him. This is my problem to deal with, not yours. Thank you for all you have done so far, but I will take it from here. I will take full responsibility. And when the funeral is over, I’ll be having a few quiet words with the Blakleys that may well involve broken bones and expulsion from my Sanctuary.”
“Thank you,” JD said. “I’ll see you at the funeral.”
“You owe me a favour for this.” The amusement was back in his father’s voice.
“What do you want me to do?” JD asked in a resigned voice.
“Your mother and I want to meet Sarah.”
JD groaned. “You will. She will be at the funeral.”
“Not good enough. You will bring her over to see us one evening next week.” JD reluctantly agreed.
On the drive home, he told Sarah all that had been arranged. Includ
ing the fact that she was going to finally meet his parents.
By the time they got back to the Sanctuary, Doc had arranged everything with the priest. He knew Kirren well, including the fact that he was gay. Kirren had been visiting him regularly, confiding in him and asking for his advice. The priest was more than happy to help out in any way he could and promised to personally call Sanctuary 1 to arrange for delivery of the coffin. Doc had then called Sanctuary 7, who promised to pass details on to every other Sanctuary in the region.
A family meeting was called. Christina and Natalie were once again excluded. If Craig wanted them to know what was going on, he would tell them himself when he returned. Until then, nobody was going to take that decision away from him.
Doc told them everything, then JD gave Jonathon some unwanted news.
“You are going to visit our parents in a couple of days.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve been ordered to introduce Sarah to them and there is no way I’m going there without you.”
“That does not come under the jurisdiction of trainer, therefore you can’t make me.”
“You’re right. But I can call them and let them know you’re refusing to see them.”
“You’re a bastard.”
“Well you can bring that subject up with them while we’re there if you like, but I’m pretty sure that, technically, I’m not.”
Jonathon growled at him, then smirked.
————————————-∞————————————-
Craig was in a bad state when he returned home. Sarah took him straight into JD’s office. “I am never seeing my parents ever again.”
“You don’t need to,” JD said. “Your family is here.”
Sarah walked behind the chair Craig was sitting on and began to rub his shoulders. “Everything has been arranged. Your brother is going to get the funeral he deserves.”
Vampire Hunters, #1 Page 37
